Result Complement 1

Grammar Point:
The result complement is called 結果補語结果补语 jiéguǒ bǔyǔ in Chinese. It is just like its name, used to describe the result of a verb.

What is the result complement?

In Chinese grammar, a result complement 結果補語结果补语 jiéguǒ bǔyǔ is a grammatical structure that expresses the result or outcome of an action or event. It is typically used to modify a verb or an adjective and follows the verb or adjective it modifies.

For instance, in the sentence “他喝完水 tā hē wán shuǐ,” which means “He has finished drinking the water,” the result complement “完 wán,” meaning “finish,” conveys the outcome of the action of drinking.

In English, different words are used to differentiate between the action and result when discussing outcomes. For example, “to look” and “to see,” or “to listen” and “to hear.” In Chinese, result complements are appended to the action verb to indicate whether the action was completed, successful or unsuccessful, done, received and so on.

看 kàn: Describing the action of setting your eyes on something.

看見见 kànjiàn: By adding result complement 見见 jiàn implies that after setting your eyes on something, you register or receive the information that enters your vision.

RC in this article we are going to learn:

Structure

S + V + RC + O

你nǐ寫xiě錯cuò了le兩liǎng個ge漢字hànzì你nǐ写xiě错cuò了le两liǎng个ge汉字hànzì
You wrote two Chinese characters incorrectly.

我wǒ要yào冰bīng拿鐵nátiě換huàn燕麥yànmài奶nǎi， 你nǐ別bié買mǎi錯cuò了le我wǒ要yào冰bīng拿铁nátiě换huàn燕麦yànmài奶nǎi， 你nǐ别bié买mǎi错cuò了le
I want an iced latte with oat milk instead of regular milk. Please don’t get it wrong.

這zhè個ge句子jùzi你nǐ看kàn懂dǒng的話dehuà， 請qǐng回答huídá我的wǒde問題wèntí这zhè个ge句子jùzi你nǐ看kàn懂dǒng的话dehuà， 请qǐng回答huídá我的wǒde问题wèntí
If you understand this sentence, please answer my question.

衣服yìfú請qǐng你nǐ洗xǐ乾淨gānjìng再zài穿chuān衣服yìfu请qǐng你nǐ洗xǐ干净gānjìng再zài穿chuān
Please wash (clean) your clothes before you wear them.

老師lǎoshī的de話huà你nǐ聽tīng清楚qīngchǔ了le嗎ma？ 老师lǎoshī的de话huà你nǐ听tīng清楚qīngchu了le吗ma？
Did you hear the teacher’s words clearly?

結婚jiéhūn十shí年nián， 我wǒ學xué會huì了le妥協tuǒxié结婚jiéhūn十shí年nián， 我wǒ学xué会huì了le妥协tuǒxié
After ten years of marriage, I have learned to compromise.

Negation

S + 沒/不 + V + RC + O

Both 不 bù and 沒 méi are possible negation particles in this structure. However, it is important to remember that 不 bù negates verbs usually about the present or future, whereas 沒 méi is usually used for things in the past. As a result, 没 méi is heard more often than 不 bù in this structure.

這zhè道dào題tí我wǒ沒méi學xué會huì这zhè道dào题tí我wǒ没méi学xué会huì
I did not master (understand) this question.

我wǒ還沒háiméi吃chī完wán飯fàn我wǒ还没háiméi吃chī完wán饭fàn
I haven’t finished my meal yet.

他tā如果rúguǒ不bú做zuò好hǎo他的tāde工作gōngzuò， 就jiù別bié請qǐng他tā了le他tā如果rúguǒ不bú做zuò好hǎo他的tāde工作gōngzuò， 就jiù别bié请qǐng他tā了le
If he doesn’t work well, don’t hire him.

其實qíshí你nǐ沒méi聽tīng懂dǒng我wǒ在zài說shuō什麼shénme， 對duì吧ba？ 其实qíshí你nǐ没méi听tīng懂dǒng我wǒ在zài说shuō什么shénme， 对duì吧ba？
You don’t understand what I’m saying, do you?

Aspect Particles and 把

1. Don’t use result complement with 著着 zhe

The particle 著着 zhe is used to indicate that an action is ongoing or in progress, and therefore cannot be used with result complements. Result complements indicate the outcome or completion of an action, which is incompatible with the idea of an ongoing or in-progress action.

我wǒ吃chī著zhe完wán了le飯fàn我wǒ吃chī着zhe完wán了le饭fàn ❌

2. 了₁ and 了₂ le are the most common particles to use with RC.
   
   我wǒ準備zhǔnbèi好hǎo了le我wǒ准备zhǔnbèi好hǎo了le
   I am ready.
   
   你nǐ覺得juéde你nǐ看kàn懂dǒng了le嗎ma？ 你nǐ觉得juéde你nǐ看kàn懂dǒng了le吗ma？
   Do you think you understand it?
   
   孩子háizi寫xiě完wán了le作業zuòyè孩子háizi写xiě完wán了le作业zuòyè
   The child finished his homework.

But, if the character 了₁ le means an action is completed, then why do we need the complement 完 wán (finish)?

我wǒ寫xiě了le作業zuòyè我wǒ写xiě了le作业zuòyè
I wrote homework.
(What I did was write, but it’s unclear if I completed the entire homework. It’s possible that I stopped halfway and did something else.)

我wǒ寫xiě完wán了le作業zuòyè我wǒ写xiě完wán了le作业zuòyè
I finished writing my homework.
(It clarifies that I have completely finished my entire homework.)

3. It is also possible to use 过 guò with it, but in 95% of situations, we prefer to just drop the RC.
   
   你nǐ看kàn(見)jiàn過guò習近平xíjìnpíng？ 你nǐ看kàn(见)jiàn过guò习近平xíjìnpíng？
   Have you seen Xi Jinping?
   
   我wǒ聽tīng(見)jiàn過guò中國Zhōngguó的de國歌guógē我wǒ听tīng(见)jiàn过guò中国Zhōngguó的de国歌guógē
   I have heard the Chinese national song.

4. The 把 bǎ structure is another common structure used with direction complements. This is because both of them deal with the result of an action or the disposal of an object.
   
   我wǒ沒méi把bǎ衣服yīfú洗xǐ乾淨gānjìng我wǒ没méi把bǎ衣服yīfu洗xǐ干净gānjìng
   I didn’t wash the clothes clean.
   
   他tā把bǎ我的wǒde名字míngzi寫xiě錯cuò了le他tā把bǎ我的wǒde名字míngzi写xiě错cuò了le
   He wrote my name wrong.
   
   哎呀āiyā！ 我wǒ把bǎ你的nǐde錢qián花huā完wán了le哎呀āiyā！ 我wǒ把bǎ你的nǐde钱qián花huā完wán了le
   Oops! I spent all your money!

• Result Complement 2 (HSK 3)

• Result Complement 1 Practice